Actors Omotola Jalade-Ekehinde and Ali Nuhu will receive the Best of Nollywood (BON) Awards 2017 Special Recognition award.

With Ibikunle Amosun, Ogun state governor announced as chief host, the event is slated to hold on Saturday, December 16, 2017, at the Cultural Centre in Abeokuta.

Over the years, the BON Awards Special Recognition has been received by among other actors, Liz Benson-Ameye, Nobert Young, Pete Edochie, Adebayo Salami and Kasim Yaro, a legend in the Hausa entertainment industry.

“We are glad to announce Omotola Jalade Ekehinde, Ali Nuhu and Lancelot Oduwa-Imasuen as recipients of this year’s Special Recognition Awards,” said Seun Oloketuyi, executive producer, BON Awards, while speaking on the choice of the awardees.

“You would concur that they deserve it for their achievements and contributions to the industry,” he said.

Oloketuyi said no actor from the North has broken barriers and crossed over to the mainstream of Nollywood like Ali Nuhu in the last decade.

He continued saying, “Apart from that, he has inspired an entire generation of Northern youths to see a career in Nollywood. He is a true and constant Northern legend, not just a star.”

Oloketuyi described Omotola as Nigeria’s biggest cinematic export saying, “There was no contest in her choice in spite of her relatively young age.

“Here is a lady who broke into the industry before she turned 18 and two decades after, is still a veritable box-office face in an industry known for ephemeral stars. It goes beyond luck.

“The recognition from TIME Magazine as one of the Most Influential 100 people in the world in 2013 is a pointer to her relentless artistic enterprise and ingenuity. And we at BON Awards are happy to be associated with such iconic actor.”

Describing Lancelot Oduwa-Imasuen as a director’s director, Oloketuyi said, “Lancelot’s longevity and relevance in Nollywood is the stuff of legends. In spite of the incursion of younger, technology-savvy directors into Nollywood, Lancelot has evolved and attained a pied piper status of the sort. He deserves the recognition of the others.”

Oloketuyi further said, “Apart from honouring the stars and stakeholders of Nollywood every other year, we have also taken it upon ourselves to recall the sacrifices and strides of those elders whose arts and artistry have catalysed the growth and global acceptance that Nollywood enjoys today.

“We don’t want to wait until these veterans are dead to give them posthumous awards, which is why we have decided to celebrate them while they are still alive and active.

“Besides, this year’s honourees are a source of inspiration to young actors across Nigeria and beyond,” he said.